At times one might mask his tears with laughter, but who would want to disguise his laughter with tears? Tears, then, are a window to one’s heart, while laughter isn’t necessarily so. While Ecclesiastes 7:3 is related to verses-1 & 2, its mood is more generalized. “Sorrow is better than laughter…!” (Ecclesiastes 7:3). Why is that? Do we seek out sorrow rather than joy? I don’t know anyone who does. Personally, I believe the birth of a child (Ecclesiastes 7:1-2) is infinitely more preferable than a good life needlessly cut short in a deadly accident. Would this sorrow be better than that joy? I don’t believe I could be convinced that such were true. Therefore, if sorrow isn’t always better than laughter (cp. Ecclesiastes 3:4), how, then, should the words of the Teacher be understood?
The Teacher concludes the verse by saying “…because sober reflection is good for the heart” (NET). Thus, repentance (sorrow) is better than the joy one has in continuing in one’s sin. In his thesis, we are presented with the Teacher’s understanding of spiritual matters, to which the events of life often point. We need to keep in mind that the intent of Solomon’s investigation involved uncovering the hidden knowledge behind the sore travail (Ecclesiastes 1:13), which the Lord had given man to be occupied in. Ecclesiastes is not all about the evils of laughter and joy, or the virtues of sorrow and tears (cp. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Rather, we are presented with a context, man rebelled in Genesis 3, and the Lord withdrew from him, telling him he would have to live in the rebellion he created (Genesis 3:14-19). In other words, by his casting man out of the Garden, vis-à-vis his presence, the Lord caused mankind to live in the worldview of Adam’s own making. The hope is that, eventually, mankind’s own evil behavior would correct him (Jeremiah 2:19). Thus, leaving man to his own will, namely to seek to know good and evil independently of the Lord, is the sore travail, in which the Lord caused man to occupy himself (Ecclesiastes 1:13).
For example, the Teacher tells us that the countenance of the heart is made better through sadness (Ecclesiastes 7:3). Life is often bittersweet, and joy during one’s trouble often makes laughter all the more real and welcome. Cain’s displeasure was understood in his countenance (Genesis 4:5-6), but he sought his joy in wickedness and folly. On the other hand, Hanna’s countenance, although sad over not having children (1Samuel 1:8-16), was changed after prayer with an inner knowing that the Lord would answer her request in due time (1Samuel 1:18). Serving the Lord is often misunderstood (Psalm 69:7-8), but this kind of sorrow is turned to joy when the Lord lifts up our countenance (Psalm 69:29-30). Therefore, the Teacher tells us that sorrow and the desire to cease one’s rebellion and return to the Lord is infinitely better, than to continue in the joy of one’s independence from one’s Creator.
One might even say that the heart of the wise **is** a house of mourning, while the heart of the fool **is** a house of mirth (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Indeed, and according to Solomon, wisdom and foolishness have their own houses. Wisdom sits in the door of hers (Proverbs 9:1-12) and foolishness in the door of hers (Proverbs 9:13-18). Wine changes one’s normal behavior, and wisdom is likened to wine (cp. Proverbs 9:2, 5), for it changes one’s worldview from living apart from God to living in his presence. Therefore, to eat at the table of wisdom and to drink her wine is to forsake the foolish lifestyle (Proverbs 9:6). In doing so, a man makes it his ambition to consider the Lord, as he labors in this sore travail, which God has given him to be occupied in (cp. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 & Genesis 3:14-19). Thus, in offering his respect and honor to the Lord, one begins his instruction in wisdom and his days are enlarged (Proverbs 9:10-11).
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